Baling press comprising a tiltable compacting container, and method for operating the same

ABSTRACT

A baling press includes a tiltable container arranged underneath a vertically guided compacting ram within a compacting frame, wherein the compacting container is tiltable forwardly about a horizontal shaft. As seen from a front wall of the compacting container, the longitudinal axis of the horizontal shaft is positioned behind a frontal plane extending through the center of gravity of the compacting plane. A unit for a tiltable support of the compacting container arranged on the shaft is fastened directly on the compacting container or on the frame. A locking unit engaging the compacting container is provided on a back side of the compacting frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a baling press with tiltable compactingcontainer wherein above the compacting container a vertically guidedcompacting ram is arranged and wherein the compacting container can befilled in a forwardly tilted position via the exposed fill opening.

2. Description of the Related Art

From DE-OS 26 25 371 a device for compacting trash is already knowncomprising a compacting ram movable by means of a vertical guide, a pipe(compacting container) arranged underneath, onto which from below abag-like container is pushed whose bottom is supported on a bottom plateduring compacting, and comprising a device for emptying the compactedpipe contents of the pipe into the container, wherein the pipe togetherwith the bottom plate can be tilted forwardly into a slanted positionenabling filling. For tilting, an axle is arranged at the fill sidebelow the bottom plate and, moreover, a grip is provided at the upperedge of the pipe. In order to move the pipe forwardly into the fillposition, the operator must pull the pipe forwardly, according to theprinciple of moving a dolly, with a considerable force expenditure inthe initial phase of tilting. Only in a later tilting phase, the leverprinciple of physics will act and the tilting action becomes easier. Thecomplete tilting of the pipe to the front is prevented in that therearward upper edge of the pipe impacts on the compacting ram guide ofthe device.

For a fluent working action during compacting of the trash it isfurthermore disadvantageous that the operator first must tilt the pipeforwardly and can only then pick up the material for filling. Moreover,the device has the disadvantage that for emptying the compacted materialthe pipe must be moved upwardly by means of an additional guide unit sothat its compacted contents can be emptied into the flexible receptaclepushed onto the pipe at the beginning of compacting, wherein thecompacted material is again loosened and the volume increased.

Moreover, from U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,661 a device—press—for compactinghousehold trash is known. This press has a press housing with an openingat the front side in which a tiltable unit—a container—is arranged whichcomprises a compacting container which can be positioned underneath avertically guided compacting ram. The actual compacting container is aninsert which is placed onto a bottom of the container so as to bealigned underneath a cylindrical ram guide which is arranged in theupper area of the container and has at the top and the bottom anopening, wherein the upper opening at the same time is the fill openingfor dropping the trash. The cylindrical ram guide is at the same timethe trash receptacle in which the trash is collected in preparation forcompacting.

Said container, onto which the insert (compacting container) is placed,is pivotably supported on the housing by means of hinges whose axes arealigned with one another horizontally. In this device it is thereforenot the compacting container that is tiltable about a horizontal axisbut the additional receiving unit.

In contrast to the press of DE-OS 26 25 371 in this press a center ofgravity displacement of the horizontal pivot axis is realized, but itspivot axis is arranged such that said entire unit, here also, can betilted forwardly only by a manual actuation on the grip of thecontainer. This device has also the disadvantages already mentionedabove; moreover, the increased manufacturing expenditure is anadditional disadvantage.

Known are also presses with compacting spaces to be filled from above,which have a compacting container with square or rectangular basesurface and wherein, after the compacted bale is finished, at least twosidewalls of the compacting container must be tilted outwardly in orderto remove the bale from the compacting space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is thus to provide a baling press having atiltable compacting container and being fillable from above in aforwardly tilted position, with which an operator is physically lessstressed, which provides for a more fluent working action and which canbe produced with minimal technical economic expenditure.

The object is solved by a baling press with tiltable compactingcontainer according to the features of claim 1; the dependent claims 2to 5 disclose further developments or advantageousconstructive-technical embodiments of the invention, and claim 6discloses new process steps for the operation of such baling presses.

Important in connection with the newly configured baling press withtiltable compacting container is primarily that a shaft that is providedon the compacting frame, which is preferably configured as a portal, andabout which the compacting container as well as bearings, which areprovided on or preferably below the bottom of the compacting containerand which engage substantially peripherally the shaft, are arrangedrelative to one another such that the longitudinal axis of the shaft,viewed from an end face of the compacting container, is positioned in afrontal plane located preferably behind the center of gravity of thecompacting container.

This aforementioned arrangement is selected especially such that thecompacting container in the vertical position is almost in equilibrium,but has a small overweight in the pivoting/tilting direction, i.e., inthe forward direction.

The compacting container is preferably locked by a locking unit in thevertical position required for compacting so that the compactingcontainer (compacting space) and a preferably electro-hydraulicallyactuated, vertically movable compacting ram of the baling press arealigned with one another for a pressing cycle.

With respect to the method, it is furthermore provided in a novel waythat upon return of the compacting ram into its upper position thelocking unit is actuated such that the compacting containerautomatically tilts, here in the forward direction, into the fillingposition. According to a further embodiment, the locking unit ismoreover also manually actuatable.

In a further technical development, at the backside of the compactingframe a spring unit is provided which is in active interaction with thecompacting container such that, upon release of the compactingcontainer, the compacting container receives an additional starting pushfor the tilting action and that, upon tilting of the compactingcontainer into the vertical position, this spring unit moreoverpreferably acts as a damping element.

Further advantages and technical configurations of the novel balingpress reside in the use of at least one pulse valve for the preferablyemployed electro-hydraulic drive of the compacting ram, in particular,for switching the compacting ram from the compacting stroke to lifting(returning) into its initial position.

Slots that are provided in the end face and in the back wall andcorrespond to one another allow tying of a compacted bale with a strapor wire while the compacting container is still closed. The pressingplate of the compacting ram, moreover, is configured such, as is knownin the art, that tying of the bale is possible with the pressing platepositioned on the bale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be explained in detail in the following withembodiments illustrated schematically in the drawings. It is shown in:

FIG. 1: a novel baling press with tiltable compacting container in afrontal view;

FIG. 1a: a novel baling press with tiltable compacting container in afrontal view.

FIG. 1b: a side view of FIG. 1a, with indicated tilted position of thecompacting container;

FIG. 2: a baling press modified in comparison to FIG. 1 with furtherdetails in a side view;

FIG. 3a-FIG. 3c: details of FIG. 2, respectively; compacting ram andcompacting container in different working positions of a pressing cycle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1 the new baling press 1 is shown in a frontal view. The balingpress 1 is comprised of a compacting frame 2 which comprises two lateralportal columns 4 facing one another; a bridge 3 horizontally arrangedbetween the latter 4 in their head area; a transverse beam 9 in the footarea; and a horizontally arranged shaft 10 above the latter 9.

On, in, and above the bridge 3, a drive 47, an electro-hydraulicallyactuated lifting cylinder 48, as well as a controlling and signalingdevice, not illustrated in detail, are provided. A start switch 52 and astop switch (emergency stop) 53 are arranged preferably on a front plate5.

In the foot area of the portal columns 4 a foot part 6 is provided,respectively, which has at one end a wheel 7 and at the other end anadjusting element 8, as illustrated in FIG. 1b.

Between the portal columns 4 and above the horizontal shaft 10 acompacting container 11 is arranged which is secured in a tiltable wayby means of two stays 23 arranged below on the container 11 which eachhave a bearing 24 engaging peripherally the shaft 10. FIGS. 1a and 1 balso show that the compacting container 11 is comprised of a bottom 12,a back wall 13, two sidewalls 14 and 15 as well as an end wall 16 whichtogether form an upwardly open compacting space. In the end wall 16 adoor 18 is provided which can be locked by means of a door lock 19 andis tiltable about hinges 20 so that the compacting space can be openedfor removing the finished compacted, preferably tied, bale after releaseof the door lock 19. Above the door 18 a grip 17 is provided on the endwall 16 for handling the compacting container 11. The upper edges of thecompacting container parts 13, 14, 15 and 16 define the upwardly openfill opening 22.

According to the method it is now provided in a novel way that forreleasing the fill opening of the tiltable compacting container 11 thevertically guided compacting ram 30 of the baling press 1 actuates alocking unit acting on the compacting container when the return stroke“R” following a pressing movement is carried out so that the releasedcompacting container automatically tilts into a slanted position suchthat the fill opening 22 for filling the compacting space of thecompacting container is substantially freely accessible.

On the backside of the compacting frame 2 at least one supply roll 51for a tying strap 50 is secured. The tying strap 50 can be handledthrough slots 18′ provided in the back wall 13 and end wall 16 beforeand after the compacting process.

On the left edge of the door 18 as well as on a corresponding locationof the left portal column 4, parts of a signaling unit 28 are arranged.Upon tilting of the compacting container 11 in the forward direction forfilling or upon opening of the door 18 for removing the bale, thissignaling unit 28 sends a signal to the drive control which has theeffect that the drive for the compacting ram 30 is switched off or, uponcompletion of the movement, is immediately stopped.

In FIG. 2 a side view of a modified embodiment of the novel baling press1 illustrated in FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b as well as further components andmodular units are illustrated in detail.

The compacting container is in the working position “filling”, thecompacting ram 30 is in its uppermost position, in the rest position.The compacting ram 30 is connected with its auxiliary frame 31,preferably comprised of U-shaped profiled sections, with the liftingcylinder 48 of the drive 47 and secures at its underside profiled rails33 positioned parallel to the sidewalls 14 and 15 of the compactingcontainer 11.

The profiled rails 33 have a tub-shaped cross-section wherein the openside is oriented downwardly, and several profiled rails 33 are arrangedat a spacing adjacent to one another so that their slantedly extendinglegs form a V-shaped gap for guiding the tying strap, wherein, however,they are positioned so tightly adjacent to one another that theytogether form the pressing plate 32.

On the backside of the baling press 1, a locking unit 40 is arrangedwhich is comprised of several elements, wherein a bolt 27 supported on aflange 26 and a dropping lock 25 are arranged on the back wall 13 of thecompacting container 11 and a specially configured locking bolt 41 isprovided at the backside of the bridge 3 of the compacting frame 2.

Moreover, in this FIG. 2 a vertically extending central axis 29 isillustrated which is a common axis for the compacting ram 30 and thecompacting container 11 positioned vertically for the compactingprocess. The compacting ram 30 as well as the compacting container 11are arranged centrally symmetrically relative to this central axis 29such that the frontal plane extending through the center of gravity ofthe compacting container 11 is positioned on this central axis 29.

In addition to the novel and specially configured locking unit 40 it isimportant for the invention that the longitudinal axis 10 a of thehorizontal shaft 10, about which the compacting container 1 is tiltable,is positioned behind the central axis 29, i.e., behind the frontal planeFP of the compacting container 11 extending through the center ofgravity CG.

The details of the locking unit 40 as well as different workingpositions of the compacting ram 30 in connection with the locking unit40 are illustrated in FIGS. 3a to 3 c.

In FIG. 3a the compacting ram 30 moves again upwardly according to apartial cycle pressing in the direction “R”. In the side view from theleft showing portions of the baling press 1, which is illustrated insection along the section line “B1” and “B2”, details of the lockingunit 40 are illustrated.

The locking bolt 41 is pivotably supported by means of a bearing bolt 45on a support 46 which is fastened on the backside of the bridge 3. Thelocking bolt 41 has moreover two legs arranged almost at a right angleto one another, wherein one leg in the end area has a nose 42 whichpenetrates through the back wall 13 into the compacting space to such anextent that it projects into the area of action of a pawl 34 pivotablyarranged on the auxiliary frame.31. In the horizontally positioned lowerside of the aforementioned leg a locking groove 44 is arranged which ispositioned behind the back wall 13 and which in this working positionengages across the bolt 27 arranged on the back wall 13 of thecompacting container 11 and thus secures the compacting container 11 inthe working position “pressing”.

The upwardly oriented leg of the locking bolt 41, which is more narrowthan the first described leg, is embodied as a hand grip 43. By means ofa tension spring 49 engaging this hand grip 43 and the support 46, theother leg of the locking bolt 41, which is substantially horizontallypositioned, is at all times forced by the locking groove 44 into theposition “securing”.

In the illustration according to FIG. 3b the compacting ram 30 hasalready moved farther upwardly, the pawl 34 engages a nose 42 of thelocking bolt 41 and pivots it, by overcoming the spring force, about thebearing bolt 45 in the upward direction so that the locking groove 44 isalso lifted and the bolt 27 is thus released.

After release of the bolt 27, see FIG. 3c in this context, thecompacting container 11 pivots forwardly into the fill position as aresult of the afore described special position of the horizontal shaft10. The tilting movement carried out in the forward direction is limitedby locking members, preferably provided with damping elements andpreferably arranged on the portal columns 4, which engage the compactingcontainer 11; the locking members have not been illustrated in thedrawings.

The dropping lock 25, arranged on the back wall 13 and configured in theform of a rib, moves forwardly between two profiled rails 33 during thetilting movement of the compacting container 11 and rests in thecompletely tilted position of the compacting container 11 underneath atransverse part of the auxiliary frame 31.

The dropping lock 25 prevents that the compacting ram 30 can drop belowa predetermined position and ensures thus that at any time thecompacting container 11 can be moved by manual actuation again into theposition “pressing”, i.e., into a vertical position. Moreover, it isillustrated that, after passing the pawl 34, the bolt 41 drops into itsinitial position. When the pressing plate 32 begins the compactingstroke and moves downwardly, the slanted portion 36 of the pawl 34 movesalong the slanted portion of the nose 42, pivots during this movementupwardly about the pivot axis 35 and drops, after passing the nose 42,again into its initial position, wherein its lower surface 38 issupported preferably on a profiled rail 33.

All of the features mentioned in the preceding description as well asthe features that can be taken only from the drawings are furthercomponents of the invention, even if they are not especially emphasizedand, in particular, are not mentioned in the claims. The invention isnot limited to the embodiment but is variable in many ways within theframe of the disclosure.

list of Reference Numerals

1 baling press (with tiltable compacting container)

2 compacting frame

3 bridge

4 portal columns

5 front plate

6 foot parts

7 wheel

8 adjusting element

9 transverse beam

10 horizontal shaft

10 a longitudinal axis

11 compacting container

12 bottom

13 back wall

14 sidewall, left

15 sidewall, right

16 end wall

17 grip

18 door

18′ slots

19 door lock

20 hinges

21 upper edge

22 fill opening

23 stays

24 bearing

25 dropping lock (rib)

26 flange

27 bolt

28 signaling unit

29 central axis

30 compacting ram

31 auxiliary frame (U-shaped profiles)

32 pressing plate

33 profiled rails (tub-shaped cross-section)

34 pawl

35 pivot axis

36 slanted portion

37 upper surface

38 lower surface

39 spring unit

40 locking unit

41 locking bolt

42 nose

43 hand grip

44 locking groove

45 bearing bolt

46 support

47 drive

48 lifting column (hydraulically movable)

49 tension spring

50 baling strap

51 supply roll

52 start button

53 stop button (emergency stop)

B1, B2 section lines

R direction, movement of compacting ram

What is claimed is:
 1. A baling press comprising a tiltable compactingcontainer mounted in a compacting frame substantially surrounding thecompacting container, the compacting frame having a front side and aback side, a vertically guided compacting frame, a vertically guidedcompacting ram, wherein the compacting container is arranged underneaththe vertically guided compacting ram and is tiltable forwardly about ahorizontal shaft, wherein, as seen from a front wall of the compactingcontainer, a longitudinal axis of the horizontal shaft is positionedbehind a frontal plane extending through a center of gravity of thecompacting container, means for a tiltable support for a compactingcontainer arranged in the shaft being fastened directly on thecompacting container or the frame, further comprising a locking unitengaging the compacting container mounted on the back side of thecompacting frame and a pawl mounted on the compacting ram for actuatingthe locking unit.
 2. The baling press according to claim 1, furthercomprising a rib-shaped dropping lock mounted on a back wall of thecompacting container.
 3. The baling press according to claim 2, furthercomprising a spring unit configured to act on the compacting containermounted on the back side of the compacting frame.
 4. The baling pressaccording to claim 1, comprising damping elements mounted in thecompacting frame for limiting the tilting movement of the compactingcontainer, wherein the damping elements partially engage areas of thecompacting container.
 5. A method for releasing an opening of a fillshaft of a tiltable compacting container of a baling press with avertically guided compacting ram, wherein the compacting container isarranged underneath the vertically guided compacting ram and is tiltableforwardly about a horizontal shaft, wherein, as seen from a front wallof the compacting container, a longitudinal axis of the horizontal shaftis positioned behind a frontal plane extending through a center ofgravity of the compacting container, the method comprising, when areturn stroke following a pressing movement is carried out, thecompacting ram of the baling press actuating a locking unit engaging thecompacting container, such that the released compacting containerautomatically moves into a slanted position in which the opening of thefill shaft is substantially freely accessible.